Unassuming Antonio Williams continues to blossom
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Antonio Williams is not ostentatious or braggadocious. He’s unassuming.
The four-star receiver is also very talented.
Williams, a Clemson signee from Irmo (S.C.) Dutch Fork, came to the Under Armour All-America Game ranked as the No. 34 receiver and No. 220 overall. He left making an argument that he’s vastly underrated.
“I’m doing my thing, but I feel like I kind of slipped through people’s eyes,” Williams said. “As a 10th-grader I broke my collarbone and I was out the whole season. Eleventh grade I started to get some offers. It’s a blessing to be a four-star but I still have more to prove, and I’m trying to get that done.
“I’m not really into all the publicity and social media stuff. I probably need to get into that. I have the talent to be up there with those guys and all that. I just really feel like I slipped because I didn’t have offers in ninth and tenth grade. If I had offers back then I feel like I’d be rated higher now.”
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Williams was one of the most consistent and best receivers all week at the Under Armour game as a route runner, as a pass catcher, everything. He looked for reps, he took reps and he won reps.
Even Clemson did not offer until much later than usual, but the Tigers still won out for the in-state four-star receiver.
There were so many reasons why Clemson beat South Carolina, Auburn, Ole Miss and others.
“Clemson wasn’t until my senior year, it was my last offer,” Williams said. “All my offers, in general, I didn’t get them until my junior year because I was hurt my 10th-grade year. I’m where I want to be now, but I still have a lot more to prove.
“Getting to sit down and talk with Dabo (Swinney) and (wide receivers) coach (Tyler) Grisham, how they produce receivers, that was really big to me. They have a lot of guys in the league making big coins.”
Getting to play with five-star quarterback Cade Klubnik was also a major draw. And coaching changes? That didn’t worry the unpretentious Williams one bit.
“Talking to Cade Klubnik was big, too,” Williams said. “Who doesn’t want to play with the best quarterback in the nation? That just makes my job a whole lot easier.
“Coach (Brent) Venables leaving, he was a cool guy, but it didn’t really affect me because he’s on the defensive side of the ball. I sat down and talked with (offensive coordinator Brandon) Streeter even before (former OC Tony) Elliott even left. I have confidence in him and he can call the plays and get the job done just as well.”